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Thursday, January 7, 2010

While I might have been around in the late 60’s and early 70’s, I wasn’t what one might call, a good hang. I was way too into cartoons and sugary cereals and Legos and not so much with the smoking and drinking and carousing til all hours.

I missed those late night, bong laden, soul searching conversations with suburban pseudo hippies on sabbatical destined for corporate gigs and neglected housewives all the while seeking salvation within Yes lyrics or reading double meanings into Moody Blues bluster. I missed it and that was: justfinethankyou.

My contemporaries were Flock of Seagulls and Haircut 100 and that ilk, not known certainly for any depth on the bench or in books.

Taa daa! I could end it there, really. That’s a victory unto itself. I mean, when was the last time someone whose music you listened to on the regular inspired you to go beyond yourself and within yourself just as the artist himself was taking the same spiritual journey? When was the last time you were intellectually challenged by music or musicians?

I took some heat for slagging The Velvet Underground yesterday but I stand by it. John Cale’s brilliant and Lou’s certainly impressed me over the years, and while they inspired countless bands...what did they inspire in you as the listener? It’s actually not their job to do anything but create and reflect, so fine.

But there’s been something, an added bonus if you will, for those who’ve followed Sylvian from pasty face pin-up to thoughtful, articulate, esoteric artist. If I knew what that was – what word to call it – I’d take a crack at it. An intangible tangibility of sonic texture and spirituality, perhaps.